


Don't Fear the...

by Turn_of_the_Sonic_Screw



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Canonical Character Death, F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-08
Updated: 2014-01-08
Packaged: 2018-01-07 22:51:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 484
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1125334
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Turn_of_the_Sonic_Screw/pseuds/Turn_of_the_Sonic_Screw
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the events in Pete's World, Rose is reminded of a question she wants to ask the Doctor. </p>
<p>An attempt to provide a more-or-less canon-compliant explanation of why every episode of Doctor Who isn't littered with Reapers, though it is by no means perfectly worked out, meant to be iron-clad, or intended to start a fight.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Don't Fear the...

**Author's Note:**

> Takes place after Rise of the Cybermen/Age of Steel but before Army of Ghosts/Doomsday. Contains spoilers for Father's Day, Rise of the Cybermen, and Age of Steel. Tagged for Canonical Character Death because of mentions of said event just to be safe.

“Doctor,” Rose began. “Do you remember, back on your last face, when we went back in time to see my dad?” 

“Yup,” he replied. 

“Doctor, we do a lot of messing around with time; why don't we see those Reapers?”

“Well...” The Doctor paused, and watched the first of the planet's three suns set. “Mind you, I don't know for certain. But if I had to guess, I'd say that part of it is interfering not only with your own personal time-stream, but with the very reason for making the voyage.”

Rose looked at him skeptically. “Doctor, you're going to have to do a better job than that.”

“Let's say, hypothetically, that I decided to travel back in time by myself, before I met you, and I wound up at the day your dad died, without really meaning to, and I did something which caused your dad to survive, basically by accident. History would probably just change itself around your dad, the same way it does whenever we fiddle around in the past. You would grow up with your mum and dad, and maybe a bunch of brothers and sisters. Your dad might even come up with another genius idea and make you all filthy rich.”

“Sounds nice.” Rose said, and smiled, eyes closed, to soak in the image. She opened her eyes again and looked back at the Doctor as the second sun set. “So now why can't we do that?”

He took a deep breath. “As a Time Lord, I can see chains of cause and effect. The cause doesn't always happen before the effect, but you still have to have one. Rose, if we went back to save your dad now, it would be because you traveled with me. And I'm guessing that at least part of the reason you traveled with me is that you grew up not knowing your dad and were working in a shop and living in a council estate with your mother.” Rose was silent. “All of a sudden, we have an effect...and no cause. Paradox. Ironically, you could probably go back in time and kill your dad to make sure you grew up in a home you would want to leave and come with me...” he trailed off as he realized Rose was sobbing. “I'm sorry,” he said, stroking her hair.

“So, what, I'd rather have had a better home life than travel with you?”

“Not necessarily,” he hedged. “I just might never have met you. What if your folks had been able to pay for you to go to university? Or if your dad landed you a job someplace else? That's all, really.”

“Good,” Rose said at last. “Because I don't want to have to choose between knowing my dad and maybe having siblings, and spending time with you. That's just...weird.”

“Yeah,” the Doctor said at last, and the final sun set.


End file.
